Packing-box for photographic plates.



No. 872,761. PATENTED DEG. 3, 1907. A. B. SHEPPARD.

PACKING BOX POR PHOTOGRAPHIG'PLTBS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.31. 1905.

\\\Y\\`\\l\ /3 x f AULEY BIDDLE SHEPPARD, OF SALEM, NEW JERSEY.

PACKING-BOX FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed October 3l. 1905. Serial No. 285.338.

To all who/m it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, AULEY BIDDLE SHEP- rARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and 'useful Packing-Box for Photographic Plates, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention. is to provide a plate-package for one or a series of plates, the package being of such construction that it may make light-excluding connection with a plate-holder so that plates may be transferred from one to the other in daylight whenever and wherever required.

The invention is embodied in a box or package having an open side which connects with the plate-holder, and which is formed with a series of slides which between them form plate-spaces and which may be removed successively and release each plate in turn for passage to the plate-holder. To insure the exclusion of light,the slots through which the slides operate are preferably of irregular form, each slot being so curved as to cause the opposite faces or surfaces of the flexible slide to bear against the opposite walls or edges of the slot in such a manner as to exclude light as the slide is being withdrawn. As a further precaution, the inner extremity of the slide is preferably thickened or enlarged, and so arranged as to become lodged in the slot when the slide has been drawn out and form a permanent closure or stopper therefor and so remain as long as the slide is in outward position or when the main portion of the slide is torn off, as is contemplated by the invention when using the package only once.

It is further characteristic of the invention that the connected package and plate-holder may be so manipulated as to cause the plate to pass from one to the other in any desired manner, with either side edge or either end of the plate entering first, as. may be preferred.

The invention also contemplates means for so securing the outer extremities of the slides that they may be released one at a time or successively as the plates are removed, the sealing means also affording opportunity for numbering the plates, a number being removed as each slide is released.

A further feature of the invention is a convenient form of clamp device for securing together the package and plate-holder when transferring the plates.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the improved package shown in connection with a plateholder, with a plate passing from one to the other, the external clamping-means being removed. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, enlarged, of a modification, illustrating the outer ends of the slides. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view taken on line 3*3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of the improved package and plate-holder, showing the clamping device applied thereto, and Fig. 5 is an end view. Fig. 6 is an edge view of one of the slides, and Figs. 7 and S are detail views showing modifications of the inner end of the slide. Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the finger holds of the clamping device.

Referring to the drawings, the package or box is of such shape as to conform to the size of the plates packed therein, an oblong package being here shown. l/Vhen in the position shown in Fig. 1, the package consists of side members 2, the opposite end members 3 and 4, and top 5, all secured together in box form in any suitable manner. The bottom of the package is open, or in other words lacks a wall similar to top 5, and around the edge of this open face is applied a continuous strip 6 of relatively thick felt or other light-excluding material, adapted to make close connection with the face of the plate-holder 7. The plate-holder is of ordinary construction, being provided with the usual slides S and middle partition S.

A series of slide-ways are formed within the package by grooving sides 2 as indicated at 9, these grooves being relatively deep and at one end communicating with slots 10, formed in end member 4 of the package, the latter being provided with the light-excluding external covering 4. The opposite ends of grooves 9 register with slots 11, formed in end member 3. This end member may be formed in one piece, as in Fig. 1, or in two parts, as in Fig. 2, with the slots in the outer part 3' curved or deflected, as shown. For each of these slide-ways I provide a slide 12 which in width corresponds to the length of slot 11, except at its rear extremity 12/ where it is widened to the full depth of grooves 9. Also at extremity 12 .the slide is thickened by doubling the same upon itself, as indicated at 13, Fig. 6, or by securing to said extremity a U-shaped reinforcement 13 as in Fig. 7, or by splitting the extremity of the slide and inserting aV strip of 5 thickening material 14, as shown in Fig. 8. However enlarged, said extremity, wider than the main portion of the slide, lodges in the inner portion of slot 11 when the slideis withdrawn and forms a full and complete light-excluding closure for the slot. The slide may be formed, adjacent said enlarged end, with a row of perforations or indentations 15, whereby when the slide is Withdrawn it may be torn off, such practice being 15 contemplated when the package is used only y once and discarded when empty. Obviously however, the projected or withdrawn slides may be preserved and utilized again, either for packing exposed plates, or for recharging with fresh plates.

The slides may be formed of straw board, or other suitable light-excluding material sufficiently flexible, and are somewhat longer than the package so that when fully inserted their outer ends 16 project slightly, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and these ends are turned laterally or toward surface 5 in overlapping arrangement, their overlapping faces being preferably provided with an adhesive,

so that the extremity of each slide may be pasted to the extremity of the next adjacent slide. After the slides have all been inserted, with the plates therebetween, andthe slide extremities secured as described, the

latter may be provided with a covering and sealing strip or surface 17, which further insures the exclusion of light. As a matter of convenience, the several plates within the package may be numbered on this sealing surface, as shown in Fig. 5.

In operation, the packa e and plateholder are connected as in Fig. 1, although not necessarily with the package on top of the plate-holder, as they may be standing on edge', or on end, or if desired the plate-holder may be on top of the package. They are preferably secured to ether by means of clamp device hereinafter described which holds them with such security that neither can slip during the manipulation incident .to transferring a plate. With the package and plate-holder thus connected, the slide 12 next to the plate-holder is released by severing its pasted end 16, and also by slitting or ripping the end sealing surface 17, and the slide is withdrawn, lodging enlarged end 12 in slot 11, whereupon'the slide may be torn off at perforations 15, or it may be preserved, as already indicated. Then the connected package and plate-holder may be so manipulated as to cause either end or either edge of the plate to pass rst into the plate-confining space of the plate-holder, the open side or face of the package thus constituting a plate passage. Slide 8 of the latter is then inserted, and the package and holder disconnected. The next adjacent slide 12 then forms the outer face of the open side of the package and so remains until the next plate is transferred, the plates being thus removed one after the other as required. It will of course be understood that the sensitized or emulsion surface of each plate is innermost,

so that when it passes to the plate-holder said surface faces outward. Exposed plates may be readily transferred from plate-holders to a package b'y reversing the transferring operation above described.

While the plate package and plate-holder may be held together by hand, I prefer to employ a clamping means which not only insures a positive light-excluding connection, but also leaves the hands of the operator free to manipulate the slides and turn or tilt the connected package and holder as may bc necessary to pass the plate from one to the other. The clamping means shown consists of spring-like side members 18, each formed with a coil 19, and the connecting arms 20, the whole being formed of wire as shown. Arms 20 bear against the outer face of the plate-holder, while a strap 21 extends across the top of the plate package and is secured at its ends to coils 19. The sides 18 must be expanded, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, to embrace the plate-holder, the same being contracted as shown in dotted lines in the same ligure, and'thus held in position on the package when not in use. Finger grips 22, secured to arms 20, provide a convenien means for expanding the clamp. l

While the improved device may be used for packing exposed plates, and may be recharged with fresh plates and thus re-used a number of times', it is designed primarily as 105 an original package to be discarded when empty. It is of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, and although somewhat more costly than an ordinary platepackage, the greater cost is more than compensated for by the convenience of being able to transfer plates to and from plate-holders in the open and without having to take the same to a dark room.

While I have here shown and described the preferred embodiment of the several features of the improvement, `the same may be variously constructed and arranged without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:- i

1. A plate package having an open face for the passage of plates facewise therethrough, and a plurality of movable "light-excluding plate confining devices, each device adapted to be moved for the passage of a plate through said ropen face.

2. The combination of a plate package open at one side to form a plate passage, and a slide for closing the passage movable slot or' irregular form in one of its edge faces,

through a slot in the package, the slide havl ing a thickened inner end for the purpose described.

The combination of a plate package having an open face for the passage of a plate facewise therethrough, the package having a slot of irregular Jform in one side of its edge faces, and a ilexible slide movable through the slot.

4. The combination of a plate package having an open iace for the passage of a plate lacewise therethrough, the package having a and a llexible slide movable through the slot, the slide having a thickened inner end for the purpose described.

5. A plate package having an open face for the passage of plates facewise therethrough, and a pluralitT of parallel plate confining slides operative successively for discharging plates, one after another, through the open face oi the package.

6. The combination of a plate package having an open face adapted to make lightexcluding connection with a plate-holder, removable light-excluding plate-holding means within the package, a plate-holder, a yoke adapted to embrace the package and plate-holder and consisting of normally contracted spring-forming side members extending over the 'plate-holder.

7. A plate-package having an open face adapted to make light-excluding connection with a plate-holder, the package being formed with a series of slideways, each slide- Way consisting in part of a slot open through one Wall oi the package, the several slots curving from their inner ends outwardly, and a series ol plate coniining slides movable in the slideu'ays and through said curved slots, the latter operating to turn the outer eX- tremities ol the slides into overlapping position.

8. The combination of a plate package having an open face and adapted at said face to make light-excluding connection with a plate-holder, and a series of slides iitted in the package and forming a series of plate coniining spaces.

9. The combination of a plate package having an open iace adapted to make lightexcluding connection with a plate-holder, the package being formed with a series of slideways in planes parallel with the open face ol the package, each slideway consisting in part of a slot extending to the exterior of the package, and a series of slides in the slideways movable through the slots and forming a succession of plate confining spaces.

10. The combination of a plate package having an open face adapted to make lightexcluding vconnect-ion with a plate-holder,

Ithe package having a series of slideways which open through one face of the package, a series of slides movable in the slideways, and means for sealing the exposed edges of the slides. l

11. The combination of a plate package having an open face adapted to make lightexcluding connection with a plate-holder, the package being formed with a series of slideways open to the exterior of the package, and a series oil slides for the slideWays forming a succession of plate confining spaces, the outer ends of the slides being turned laterally and secured to the exterior of the package.

12. The combination of a plate package having an open face adapted to make lightexcluding connection with a plate-holder, the package being formed with a series of slideways which at one end open through the exterior of the package, a series of slides for the slideways forming plate confining spaces, and sealing means for the exposed ends of the slides, said sealing means bearing a number for each plate.

13. The combination of a plate package and a plate holder adapted to be placed in light-excluding connection With each other for the passage of plates from one to the other, and a device for holding said parts connected consisting of spring arms extending over and embracing one of said parts, said arms at opposite sides of the united parts forming spring or tension members, and a strap extending over the other of said united parts and at its ends connected to said spring forming members.

14. The combination of a plate package and a plate holder adapted to be placed in light-excluding connection with each other for the passage of plates from one to the other, and a removable yoke device for embracing said parts and holding them connected., said device consisting of the transverse arms 20 bent to form the side members 1S and the side coils 19, and strap 21 connecting the coils 19.

AULEY BIDDLE SHEPPARD.

Witnesses:

CnAs. B. STANroN, LILLIAN FrNon. 

